Nokia considering carrier revenue sharing

Nokia has been a pretty big fan of exclusives recently, and for pretty good reason too. By bringing in exclusive apps, Nokia has been able to differentiate itself in the Windows Phone market, and perhaps even generate a bit of buzz, but if this news is true, Nokia may be about to go beyond exclusivity plans. We had heard before that Nokia was in talks with European carriers, but now we're learning more about what those talks entail.

So, we heard that Nokia is considering carrier exclusivity for its Windows Phone 8 Lumia devices in Europe in an attempt to generate a demand for the device, similar to what Apple did with the iPhone early on. Of course, the iPhone had demand that Windows Phone doesn't, so this sort of move wouldn't really help at all. We also expected that Nokia learned that from the forced exclusivity on AT&T of the Nokia Lumia in the US so far. Sales have been pretty weak, and the general consensus is that Nokia really wishes that Verizon would accept a non-LTE Windows Phone device. Given that, it's hard to believe Nokia would really want to try the tactic in Europe, even if Windows Phone demand is a bit higher in various areas of Europe.

The other, more believable, part of the report actually highlights the exact issue we're talking about, because it is now rumored that Nokia is considering offering carriers a revenue sharing plan in exchange for retail support. The original report from the Financial Times had claimed Nokia was looking to work with carriers to push Lumia devices, but revenue sharing would be an even more aggressive tactic than expected. Given that Windows Phone 8 is expected in November, and Nokia is expected to lead the charge, we should find out soon what the real plan is.

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I have Iphone4s , but I'm really like it.. I want to comeback to Nokia... Why don't you adopt Android ?
Any way , I will buy Nokia Lumia pureview because Nokia has the best hardware and most attractive design ..

Please Nokia listen to your fans ,,, There are billions trust and like your products .
Just listen to what your fans say!!!.

Who knows, maybe their customers might like it. The HTC Trophy running WP7 on Verizon Wireless was obsolete (hardware-wise) the minute they put it on the shelves, but it still has some of the highest customer ratings out of Verizon's entire lineup.

A quick check of recent releases on VZW shows that every smartphone is LTE-capable. That tends to indicate that absent support for VZW LTE frequencies, no smartphone (whether running Android or WP) will be released on VZW's network. Even the pending iPhone 5 is going to have VZW LTE frequencies on the VZW edition. At this point, support for VZW LTE frequencies seems to be a requirement for a smartphone to become available on VZW.

Doug, I am finding the slowly negative attitude disturbing, and unlike you. How many Androids are "obsolete" because they will not get updated, but Big Red has no problem selling them? How many of those have as high of a customer satisfaction on Amazon and their own website as the Trophy? How is it that the 900 is getting slammed by you for running the wrong LTE, but other handset makers manage to provide LTE devices to all carriers? You really believe if Big Red, the largest manufacturer in the US, said they were interested in Nokia that Nokia wouldn't have bent over backwards to get them what they wanted? And for the everyday user that doesn't cruise Phone Arena, that Nokia would have been supported and updated just fine.

As much as I respect you, buddy, your "anti-Windows Phone" posts are bothering me. This is a good OS that will get an update (7.8) and will be supported, especially by Nokia. It would have been a welcome addition to Big Red.

Snow - the biggest complaint that I have with Nokia is their decision to under-spec their Lumia hardware. It is as if the Lumia was a throwaway effort, done just to learn how to build a WP handset. I get the part about WP7 not supporting multi-core CPUs, so no reason to include multi-core CPUs. But 512 Mb of RAM in the L900? If they truly didn't know that WP8 was going to require more than 512 Mb of RAM, that has to be a new definition of incompetent. I don't know of any O/S that has required less RAM as capabilities increased. And then no support for LTE for VZW. HTC had (I think) the Thunderbolt available with LTE when VZW started rolling out their LTE network.

I am not anti-Nokia or anti-WP. In fact, if Nokia had released an edition of the Lumia phone with at least 1Gb of RAM, LTE for VZW, display specs that compared to my RAZR plus the PureView camera, I would have taken a chance on the phone. If anything, my frustration is that Nokia seems perennially a day late and a dollar short. Meanwhile, Nokia customers hemorrhage to Android and iOS.

So you want Nokia to release a phone that technically isn't possible yet, and you "would have taken a chance" on it? Next you'll say you want the Galaxy S4 to have a flexible display, DSLR quality optics, and no more than 6.5mm thin, or it wouldn't be competitive. PureView is ONLY capable on Symbian for now, and probably will stay that way until next year. If Nokia had doubled the RAM, sure it may have been more future-proof, but the cost would have gone up, the OS wouldn't be much more fluid or capable, app makers may have had to release a modified version to offset the higher capabilities and increased clockspeeds, and it wouldn't have been as comprehensive nor as cohesive of a product and part of the existing platform. The 900 is a reintroduction of the brand to US consumers, and was never meant to be a volume seller like a Galaxy S series. Those that wanted a good phone at a great price got it, and those that want higher specs went with Android or will continue to wait. As a Lumia 900 owner, not once have I wished that the OS have more fluidity or felt that it was underpowered. By keeping the specs at the top of the current WP range, the experience is consistent, programs run just fine, and battery life is good. What more could a general smartphone owner want?
Once PureView does hit the Lumia range, I'll likely get one, but only if it has at least the capabilities of the 808. I myself will be shortly purchasing the 808 as the initial demand has tapered and price is starting to come down.

As much as I like WP, I would have to agree with Doug! Nokia will not have all the time in the world to "get it right". And as he explains, Nokia ends up a "day late, and a dollar short". THIS I AGREE WITH. As a company in decline, an extreme switch of direction towards WP DESERVED an equally extreme switch of direction with the Lumia line.

In essence, shock the market. The Lumia is "good enough", but in a market where you are struggling to gain popularity (especially in a new region - the US) I feel the flagship model of Nokia should have packed a bigger punch.

I also agree with Snow... I am geting tired of all these lame anti-WP comments. Own one, use one, then comment on it. Although I do agree the flagship model should have been a bit future-proofed, a bit higher quality (specs), and above par of their competition... (no matter the cost, sell at a loss for all I care; it would ensure a better chance of grabbing recognition in the US - demand SHOCK)

I think one thing Android users do not understand is the difference between OS stability (WP is a better coded OS). It does not need the specs of a laptop to run efectively and blissfully. However, with the American persona, one knew that the average American would compare specs and skip the WP. Nokia, IMO, only has themselves to blame.

Ummm. When they fire Elop? Actually, just before they fire Elop, 'cause they will have wised up when they submit the decision to fire Elop to a vote of the board of directors. At the board of directors level, no votes are submitted without knowing the outcome.

No, they would be another Android manufacturer out of dozens who would try to survive, except Samsung. They also don't shine in the specs war that's very important to Android hardcore fans.

And you know Google and Microsoft are greater enemies than Google and Apple are? After aiding with Microsoft, they hardly will do such an epic betray, especially under Elop. All they have now, is design, charme, Microsoft's aid (i don't see Google pumping milliards in its manufacturers) and Nokia Maps, maybe. And some brand power for the older generation.

I am so effing SICK of exclusivity. Create a device which uses ALL frequencies and let carriers compete at the benefit of the consumer. When I was at University (1999-2006), you were able to buy any device you wanted and use it on either T-Mobile's, AT&T's, Rogers', and Euro/Asian networks. Then it hit this point where certain devices could only ever work on one network and one network only--forever.
There is no reason (other than adding a few bucks for a multi-mode radio which has just been further advanced by Qualcomm and Broadcom) why companies cannot create one device and sell it through any carrier, any store, any online marketplace/website, and to any individual and let that end user pick his or her service. In the end, it is better for the consumer for competition to reside upon choice and not contract restraints...

Exclusivity agreements worked when the mobile industry was still quite young, but now the world is moving in the opposite direction. Elop is either the dumbest ceo in corporate history or he's actively trying to kill the company. Neither of those are good options for a ceo. But hey. The board, the investors..all fiddling while rome burns. Exclusivity with wp7 worked so well. So why not try it again somewhere else? Pure genius man, genius.

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